Gravende heiwerker c. 1884 - 1887

Willem Witsen made this drawing of a digging moorland worker with graphite on paper. Focusing on labourers, Witsen created scenes which had previously been ignored by artists. Made in the Netherlands, it shows the back-breaking work needed to cultivate the land. The image uses a clear visual code to create meaning. The angle of the subject emphasizes the effort required to dig, the marks made by the graphite capture the texture of the earth, and the lack of detail evokes the anonymity of labour. In a country where land is scarce, the worker is an important figure. This drawing exists within a larger cultural context of agrarian reform and industrial development. By looking at agricultural reports and economic surveys from the period, we can understand the historical association between labour, land, and national identity in the Netherlands. The Rijksmuseum is the perfect institution for a drawing of this subject; as a cultural reference point in the Netherlands, it has the power to elevate it.